The invention relates to an indication device for a motor vehicle used by a disabled person.
The widely used wheelchair driver symbol is used to safeguard against others parking too near to the entry door of vehicles used by disabled persons. While the symbol is visible in daylight, it is still often overlooked because it is not sufficiently conspicuous, and in the dark it is hardly noticeable at all. The problem is thus predominantly one of lack of perception, as a result of which it is often made impossible for persons in a wheelchair to get into their vehicle independently.
In this context it is known from DE 296 15 687 U1 and DE 297 20 654 U1 as well as the French published application no. 2 690 885 to clip a laterally protruding arm comprising a sign onto the lateral window and affix this arm by closing the window. This arm protrudes from the vehicle by the same distance as is taken up when the door is opened for the disabled person to get into his/her vehicle. Furthermore, it is known from DE 197 25 209 A1 to provide a parking disc display which when the vehicle is locked automatically displays the parking commencement time. In this arrangement, the display field can automatically display a note, for example an icon denoting a disabled person. Finally, from DE 195 37 619 C2 it is known to provide rearward distance sensors on a motor vehicle which register the approach, for example, of a bicycle from behind, and which automatically cause a warning to be issued not to open the doors, or even cause opening of the doors to be blocked.
It is the object of the present invention to provide an automatic indication device for adequate parking distance, with said device not requiring any components that protrude from the vehicle.
Accordingly, the invention provides an indication device for a first motor vehicle used by a disabled person, said device comprising:
a sign affixed to the first motor vehicle and adapted to display information intended to dissuade an other motorist from parking a second motor vehicle adjacent to a door of the first motor vehicle;
an acoustic signal transmitter affixed to the first motor vehicle;
at least one detector affixed to the first motor vehicle and adapted to detect a presence of the second motor vehicle adjacent to the door of the first motor vehicle, wherein the at least one detector is adapted to generate a signal upon detecting the second motor vehicle; and
communication means for communicating the signal from the at least one detector to the sign and the acoustic signal transmitter, prompting the sign to illuminate and display the information and the acoustic signal transmitter to emit an audible warning intended to dissuade the other motorist from parking the second motor vehicle adjacent to the door of the first motor vehicle.
In certain embodiments, the at least one detector comprises at least one distance sensor and/or at least one movement detector.
In certain embodiments, two coupled detectors are affixed to the first motor vehicle at a distance from each other sufficient to minimize simultaneous signal generation by the two detectors in response to adjacent objects smaller than a motor vehicle.
In certain embodiments, the acoustic signal transmitter is a loudspeaker.
In certain embodiments, the communication means comprises at least one electrically conductive cable.
In certain embodiments, the communication means comprises wireless transmitters and wireless receivers.